News & Events
News & Events
IPK Held a Joint international webinar targeting AMR in collaboration with IVI, ADB SEADS, ICARS and the Embassy of Denmark in Korea
2021-12-08
IPK Held a Joint international webinar targeting AMR
in collaboration with IVI, ADB SEADS, ICARS and
the Embassy of Denmark in Korea
in collaboration with IVI, ADB SEADS, ICARS and
the Embassy of Denmark in Korea
Institut Pasteur Korea (IPK), the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), Asian Development Bank Southeast Asia Development Solutions (ADB SEADS), the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS), and the Embassy of Denmark in Korea held a joint webinar targeting AMR on Dec. 7.
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The webinar, titled “Curbing the Invisible Pandemic: Effective Solutions to Collectively Combat Antimicrobial Resistance,” was aimed to bring awareness to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and discuss sustainable solutions to the global public health threat, where experts from various sectors, including leading scientists, public health experts, policy makers, have gathered together.
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Dr. Youngmee Jee, CEO of IPK, Dr. Euna Her, a congress woman and member of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, H.E. Einar Jensen, Ambassador of Denmark to Korea, Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of International Vaccine Institute, Mr. Winfried Wicklein, Deputy Director General, Southeast Asia Department, of Asian Development Bank have emphasized the significance of international solidarity in effective response to antibiotic resistance in welcoming remarks.
Leading scientists highlighted the necessary tools and strategies for tackling the root causes of AMR emergence and spread, including the development of vaccines and new drugs as well as initiatives to strengthen global and national capacities in AMR surveillance and data collection in order to implement targeted solutions.
Presentations on this topic included:
• “Vaccines against AMR—the short- and long-term game” by Dr. Marianne Holm, Head of Epidemiology and Public Health Research, IVI
• “Reinforcing the antibiotic arsenal: conventional and non-conventional strategies” by Dr. Soojin Jang, Head of Antibacterial Resistance Lab, IPK
• “From evidence to action: partnering to tackle AMR in LMICs” by Dr. Robert Skov, Scientific Director, ICARS
A panel discussion on effective strategies to strengthen global and regional capacities and capabilities for AMR followed, moderated by Dr. Eduardo P. Banzon, Principal Health Specialist in the Southeast Asia Department of ADB, and featuring:
• Gloria Cristina Córdoba Currea, AMR Advisor, ICARS
• Nitish Debnath, Team Leader, Fleming Fund Country Grant, DAI Global Health, Bangladesh
• Han, Sangkyun, Director, Disease Policy Department, Ministry of Health, ROK
• Nithima Sumpradit, Head of System Research and Development Unit, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand
Dr. Jee said, "The efforts to prevent the advent of the post-antibiotic era that the World Health Organization has warned of urges actions from individuals and robust international cooperation. In this respect, this webinar was meaningful in the way it connected experts across international research, public health, and health policy to share each others' strategies and promoted One-Health cooperation." "IPK will contribute to the global antibiotic resistance responses by accelerating the development of innovative therapeutics based on the convergence of our research capabilities with global partners and continuing with the community-based antibiotic-resistant bacteria surveillance studies," added Dr. Jee.
The IPK’s Antibacterial Resistance Research Lab(ARL)., led by Dr. Soojin Jang, is striving to obtain more comprehensive knowledge on bacterial physiology and antibiotic resistance and discover new anti-bacterial therapeutics. Targeting the notorious superbugs including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, ARL’s research is focused on the discovery of new antibacterial agents with novel targets through the development of innovative screening systems as well as investigation of antibiotic resistance in the community.
In recent years, ARL developed new antibacterial molecules that have high potency against MRSA and VRE and licensed out the new drug candidates to a bio-venture company in Korea. (Go to the Press Release) ARL is also participating in the Metagenomics and Metadesign of Subways and Urban Biomes (MetaSUB), an international consortium whose goal is to understand the urban microbiome. Currently, 62 teams from 32 countries participate in the consortium and investigate community-based microbiome and antibiotic resistance in public transport systems such as subway stations and bus stops, and the latest research was published in Cell in June 2021. (Danko et al., 2021, Cell 184, 3376–3393).